Despite facing 50-1 odds and being purchased for the bargain basement price of $9,500, Mine That Bird finished first in America’s most famous horse race.

This shows anew that on the track, reputation doesn’t matter. Neither do odds, and neither does background.

All that matters is what the horse does on the day of the race.

So here’s a question: Do you have more potential than a horse?

After all, some athletes and coaches hear the Mine That Bird message every day: Reputation doesn’t matter. Neither do odds, background, or the opinion of experts. All that matters is who plays the best on game day.

But too many people believe that this message is for someone else. That miracles are for others. It never occurs to them that they can make the miracle story their own.

As Mine That Bird crossed the finish line, the television announcer exclaimed, “This result is impossible!” He used the same word that Al Michaels did in 1980 when describing the U.S. hockey team’s Olympic gold medal.

Impossible.

Is it a word that will define your limits, or the extent of your miracle?